USC's troubled basketball star
Tomo Chien
March 03, 2026
Good morning. It’s Tuesday, and these are the five USC, Los Angeles, and California stories you need to know for today.
1.
It’s still unclear why USC’s men’s basketball team dismissed its top scorer, Chad Baker-Mazara, at a do-or-die moment in the season. But a clearer picture has slowly emerged of a dismissal — not the first in Baker-Mazara’s career — which stemmed from a buildup of behavioral issues such as chatting with fans during a blowout loss.
2.
A collection of the country’s original founding documents will be on display at USC starting next month. The exhibit at the Fisher Museum of Art, which runs April 17 through May 3, is part of a national “Freedom Tour” that will parade an original engraving of the Declaration of Independence, among other documents, across the U.S.
3.
James B. Milliken, the president of the University of California, defended his decision not to battle the Trump administration in court over its punitive funding cuts and lawsuits against UCLA. “Given our responsibility to the university and to the state of California, the better course for us was to engage,” Milliken said.
4.
The largest Planned Parenthood affiliate in California is now offering Botox injections. The unusual offering is meant to help keep the reproductive health provider afloat after cuts to federal Medicaid reimbursements. “We have to face reality to keep our doors open,” said the affiliate’s CEO.
5.
In what is admittedly awkward timing for this newsletter, a USC study found that marijuana use by adolescents is linked to a higher risk of psychiatric disorders. The study adds to a growing body of research about the risks of weed as the drug becomes more socially accepted. Keyboard warriors: I don’t want to hear it from you.
